Braiding machine



Feb. 25, 1930, I A. HOPKINSON 1,748,553

- BRAIDING MACHINE Filed uarcn'la. 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR QZZAM/M Feb. 25, 1930. A. HOPKINSON BRAIDING MACHINE Filed March 16. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'IIIIIIII/II INVIEN 70/? @W A 'TTOR/VEY Feb. 25, 1930. A. HOPKINSON 1,748,553

BRA'IDING MACHINE Filed March 16. 192-7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATM/FIVE) t Patented Feb. 25, 1930 ALFRED norxnvsoiv,

BRAIDING Application filed. March 16, 1927, Serial No. 175,884, and in Gre This invention relates to braiding machines in which two rows or tiers of bobbins are mounted on rotary carriers or races revolving in opposite directions, the threads of the. outer set of bobbins being guided under and over the inner set of bobbins by suitable guides and being braided together at a common central point or eye, the bobbin carriers of the inner set sliding or travelling around acircular track and fitted with thread switching plates at the outer ends and the inner bobbin carriers being propelled round the circular track by. a series oi reciprocating fingers engaging the bobbin carriers or by a system of rollers" engaging rollers upon the bobbin carriers.

In this type of machine the bobbin carriers of the inner set are supported either at their outer ends or sometimes at vtheir inn'er ends and the present invention may be applied to both typesof machine. I .Accordingto this invention a series of rotary guide discs rotary about their axes. loose on. fixed or non-rotary pivots and actuated by contact of the threads are mounted upon brackets afiixed to a stationary or non-revolving part of the machine to engage or contact v in succession with the threads as they are unwound from the outer set of bobbins to direct them over or under the thread switching plate of thebobbin carriers of the inner set of bobbins as required by'the pattern, the rotary motion of the discs eliminates friction in lifting the threads and so avoids any pull-back of the threads the discs being kept constantly in motion. by the successive contacting of the t threads with them. The brackets carrying'the rotary guide discs, may be made to swivel or slide into, and out of the path of y.

0 the threads to vary the pattern while the machine is running. V

' The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of part of braiding machine showing the rotary guide discs F affixed thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of same. Fig. 3 is apart planpartly in section.

-, Figs- 6 and machine number 0 thread 6 from the outer or direct the threads 7) over or under the to a sliding g ve on or they may be rend to one another to alt carried by a ring 6 a the base-E. In the constru .1 one movable ring e 1s emp Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing a to or HYDE, ENGLAND MACHINE at Britain April 20; 1926.

modified construction with guide disc F above the thread. i

Fig. 5 is a front e fication. Fig.6 is a plates g, g.

levation showing modidetail section through the cam 7 are details of Fig. 5. i

F'g. 8 is a part plan showing the invention applied where the inner bobbins are pro pelled by rollers. a

Figs. 9,10, Hand 12 are diagrammatic views indicating the. path of the thread 7).

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the machine is constructed in known form with an annular rotating bobbin carrier A for the outer set of bobbins B which also forms a race a for the inner set of bobbin carriers D fitted with switch plates drevolving in the opposite directiomthe inner b0bbin carriers D being propelled by reciprocating fingers-C. V

Upon the non-rotary or fixed base E. of the f. rotary guide discs}? are fitted each projecting into the path of the switch plates (Z of the inner bobbin carriers D. The guide discs F are mounted on fixed pins on brackets f and are adapted to rotate about their'own axis to'oifer little or no frictionorresistance to the threads I as they come 'into contact with them being driven from the rotary shaft E j The rotary guide discs F may be mounted onfball bearings and are carried on brackets. F afiixed directly to the base Eby screws. or

Or the brackets f may be affixed v ring or rings 6 .(Fig. 1) to render, the discs adjustable relatively to one another. The brackets of the rotary guide discs F may be permanently fixed to the base E to e standard pattern such as one'th-read over and under. the inner bobbin alternately ered adj ustable relatively or or vary the pattern as ance the brackets may be dapted to be moved round.

ction shown in Fig.

otherwise.

required. For inst be movedjt o bring the guide discs F together bobbinsB to guide loyedwhich can" i in pairs to throw two threads 6 over and then two threads 5 under the inner bobbins and set in that position.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 two movable rings G G are employed discs F F 2 and brackets f f being movably mounted upon a base E.- The ring G is fitted with cam plates 9 and the ring G with cam plates g and the rings are moved to and fro by a cam or cams H H and as the cam plates 9 9 come beneath the brackets f f the guide discs F, F are alternately raised and lowered to bring them into the path of the thread, the cams H, H are mounted on a shaft H and are operated through a train of gearing 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 from the rotary shaft E of the machine.

The pattern can thus be varied during the running of the machine to produce a fancy pattern.

In both arrangements the thread I) from each outer bobbin B is carried to a guide eye H rotating with the bobbin carrier placed at a. position below the centre of the switch plate d so that normally the thread will pass under it while the rotary guide discs or plate F will raise it to pass over the switch plate.

While it is preferred to fix the guide eye at a position below the centre of the switch plate a guide eye H may be fixed'above the center and a rotary guide disc or plate F in positionto depress the thread 6 under the switch plate d, as shown in Figs. 4 and 12.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 8, the

' inner bobbin carriers D are propelled by a system of rollers 0 engaging a roller or rollers G upon the bobbin carrier-s D In operation as the outer bobbins B revolve the thread 6 therefrom (see diagrams 9, 10 and 11) is raised by each of the rotary guide discs above the nose of each switch plate in succession and passes over the inner bobbin carrier D (Fig. 9) as however the inner bobbins and switch plates are revolving in the opposite direction they alternately assume the position shown in Fig. 10 and the thread Z) being below the nose of the switch plate 2 passes under it and underneath the inner bobbin. As the next switch plate 3 Fig. 11 approaches the thread 6 it is again raised and passes over the switch plate and so on passing over and under the switch plates in succession as they revolve. A similar action takes place in connection with the construction of Figs 4 and 12, the thread Z2 being depressed by the rotary guide disc F instead of being elevated by it. The contact of the thread with the rotary discs keep them continually rotating about their axes and so avoids any friction or pull back upon the threads.

l Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A braiding machine of the type described constructed with a series of discs rotary about their axes, fixed nonrotary pins upon which the discs are loosely mounted, brackets by which the pins are carried at fixed to the nonrevolving base of the machine the peripheries of the discs contacting with and directing the threads from the outer bobbins over and under the thread switching plates of the inner set of bobbins Without friction or pull back upon thethreads.

2. A braiding machine comprising in its construction outer and inner sets of bobbins revolving in opposite directions, a series of discs rotary about their axes, fixed nonrotary pins upon -which the discs are loosely mounted, brackets by which the pins are .revolving in opposite directions, a series of discs rotary about their axes, fixed nonrotary pins upon which the discs are loosely mounted, brackets by which the pins are carried aifixed to a nonrevolving part of the machine, the peripheries of the discs contacting with and directing the threads from the outer bobbins over and under the other set of bobbins without friction or pull back upon the threads and a movable adjustable ring upon which some of the rotary guide discs are carried: to permit of their relative adjustment to vary or alter the pattern of braid.

4;. A braiding machine having rotary guide discs relatively adjustable as in claim 3 and means to give a rotary movement to the ring upon which the discs are carried.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALFRED HOPKINSON. 

